Uncaged Leadership with Katia Vlachos
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How a defence analyst became a reinvention coach.
In this episode of Speech Bubbles, Charlotte talks with coach, speaker, and author Katia Vlachos about what it really means to become uncaged as a leader and as a human.
Katia shares her journey from high-flying defence analyst to reinvention coach and author of A Great Move and Uncaged: A Good Girl’s Journey to Reinvention. She explains how invisible cages like perfectionism, people-pleasing, and self-sacrifice quietly shape our careers and relationships – and how learning to self-validate, rather than chasing external approval, changes everything.
Together, Charlotte and Katia explore:
* How to spot your own cages and start breaking free
* Why reinvention is never starting from scratch, but building bridges from what you already know
* The link between purpose, self love, and true authority
* Katia’s idea of uncaged leadership – leading from deep self awareness, integrity, and inner security
* Why vulnerability, feedback, and inner work are non-negotiable for modern leaders
Katia closes with three powerful tips for emerging leaders: do the inner work, become your own secure base, and be a secure base for others so they can take risks and grow.
Also there's a shout-out to one of Charlotte's favourite authors and podcasters, Glennon Doyle.
If you care about reinvention, personal growth, and building a more humane style of leadership, this conversation will land with you.
In this episode of Speech Bubbles, Charlotte talks with coach, speaker, and author Katia Vlachos about what it really means to become uncaged as a leader and as a human.
Katia shares her journey from high-flying defence analyst to reinvention coach and author of A Great Move and Uncaged: A Good Girl’s Journey to Reinvention. She explains how invisible cages like perfectionism, people-pleasing, and self-sacrifice quietly shape our careers and relationships – and how learning to self-validate, rather than chasing external approval, changes everything.
Together, Charlotte and Katia explore:
* How to spot your own cages and start breaking free
* Why reinvention is never starting from scratch, but building bridges from what you already know
* The link between purpose, self love, and true authority
* Katia’s idea of uncaged leadership – leading from deep self awareness, integrity, and inner security
* Why vulnerability, feedback, and inner work are non-negotiable for modern leaders
Katia closes with three powerful tips for emerging leaders: do the inner work, become your own secure base, and be a secure base for others so they can take risks and grow.
Also there's a shout-out to one of Charlotte's favourite authors and podcasters, Glennon Doyle.
If you care about reinvention, personal growth, and building a more humane style of leadership, this conversation will land with you.
Chapters
- 00:03 Introduction to Speech Bubbles and Katia Vlachos
- 02:51 Understanding self-validation and breaking free from external approval
- 04:49 Recognising and breaking free from cages
- 08:38 The experience of breaking free from cages
- 12:56 Setting boundaries and comparing uncaged to untamed
- 16:26 Katia's journey from Defence Analyst to Reinvention Coach
- 20:50 Building bridges in reinvention and finding authority
- 24:13 The different experiences of writing two books
- 26:49 Uncaged leadership and self-transformation
- 32:52 Reputation, vulnerability, and changing leadership archetypes
- 37:46 Book recommendation and tips for emerging leaders
